To Victory or Elysium
by Knight of Tara
Summary: The Romans under Julianus the Brave of the House of Scipii have marched into Libya and meet the Egyptian army under General Wah. The result is a chaotic battle for control and supremacy. Will the Romans be able to withstand the Egyptian juggernaut?


**To Victory or Elysium**

This story is realistic historical fiction. None of the characters in this story, except Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus, really existed during the time of the Roman Republic. Rome and Egypt were never at war before 48 BCE.

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250 BCE, The Sahara Desert, The Border between the Future Roman Provinces of Tripolitania and Libya.

The Roman army under Julianus the Brave of the House of Scipii stood in battle formation in the deserts of Libya awaiting the Egyptian army that scouts reported was fast approaching. Moral was low. Fortunately, the men's spirits had been lifted earlier that day when news arrived that Carthage, the great enemy and rival of Rome, had finally fallen to Cassius Scipio, Julianus' grandson who had become a general of Rome only one year previously. Julianus was especially pleased that his grandson had become the conqueror of Carthage. Cassius had shown much promise as a child. Now he had really shown what he could do when given an army.

"Sir! Sir!" A centurion was running toward Julianus. "Sir, the Egyptian army is up on the ridge! They are coming! There!" Julianus looked toward the ridge and saw the Egyptian banner bearing the Amulet of Ra over row after row of Egyptian soldiers. After an hour, the Egyptians were in position and ready for battle. What Julianus saw shocked him. There, on the other side of the field were around 6000 battle-hardened Egyptian soldiers, among them spearmen specially trained the Greek style of war, the Phalanx, foot soldiers bearing axes, highly trained archers able to fire their arrows 300 yards, and cavalry, wielding both axe and spear. Also among the Egyptian army was what the Roman feared the most, 500 dual-horse chariots with 3-foot long blades whizzing around the wheel hubs. Julianus pulled the reins of his horse and rode before his army to kept their courage up. He had 3000 Romans under his command. They were outnumbered two to one.

Ten minutes later, Julianus noticed some chariots beginning to move slowly. They moved their chariots as to avoid injuring one of their comrades. A sharp blade could not tell who was friend and who was foe. As soon as their comrades were out of harm, the chariots began to move at a gallop. Julianus ordered his men to hold their ground. The chariots halted 30 yards from the Roman line. An several Egyptians stepped off their chariots and walked toward the Romans. Julianus dismounted his horse and went to meet the Egyptians. The Egyptians stopped ten yards away from Julianus and it was one of them who began to speak. "Roman General, I am General Wah of the armies of Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus. I warn you now that Pharaoh does not tolerate invaders and you are hopelessly outnumbered here. Pharaoh, however, has been feeling generous of late. Therefore, you are hereby given a chance to return to Rome in peace. Will you accept Pharaoh's most generous offer, old man?"

Julianus looked at his men and then at the Egyptians. "General Wah, I am General Julianus Scipio the Brave. We will not accept Pharaoh's offer. We have come to conquer Egypt and I will have Pharaoh's head before my feet. Also, I have heard that your Pharaoh never let any army that invaded Egyptian territory leave. If Pharaoh is giving me this most peculiar offer, then I think he is afraid of me. Afraid of what he always calls a barbarian."

Wah grew red with anger. "How dare you insult my Pharaoh in such a manner?" He had a covered bag passed to him. "Pharaoh wished me to give this gift to you if that was to be your response." He threw the bag to Julianus' feet. Julianus picked the bag up and opened it. Horrified, he threw the bag away just after peering into it. "How easy it is for a simple gift to turn a man into a frightened child," Wah laughed. Julianus looked at the bag and grew pale. He had just seen the horribly mutilated head of his brother, Gaius Scipio. He was sent with a small scouting party to Cyrenaica to observe the Egyptian-controlled city of Cyrene. Julianus had no word from them for two months. "You will learn to regret your decision, Roman!" Wah boarded his chariot and returned to his army.

Julianus mounted his horse and rode before his army. "My men, there is the army of the Egyptian Pharaoh, men who are not worthy of being feared! They outnumber us two to one and will try to crush us with their superior numbers! Today we must use our minds and tactics to outwit the Egyptians if we are to have any hope of victory. Today we can emerge victorious because you are the army of Julianus the Brave! You have always served me well, against Greeks, against Numidians, and against Carthage! Let us add Egypt to our list! My men, prepare to defend yourselves! A huge roar went up from the Roman ranks and huge frenzy of movement began. The army had served Julianus for years and during their years of war, they learned several codes Julianus made up. "Prepare to defend yourselves" was an encoded order to gather into a horseshoe-shaped formation with Hastati and Principe Infantry in the center, Equite Cavalry on the flanks, and Roman archers and Velite Skirmishers behind the infantry.

Ten minutes later, the army was ready and not a moment to soon. Just as they finished, the Egyptians charged toward the Romans. Julianus noticed some Nubian Cavalry going around the horseshoe to attack the vulnerable archers at the back. Julianus ordered his cavalry to attack the Nubian cavalry. The Nubians were surprised by this action and fled. The Romans followed in pursuit. The Nubians were surrounded by the Roman cavalry and slaughtered. Julianus turned toward his army and saw that it was being pounded into by the Egyptian phalanxes and cavalry with arrows raining down on them as well. He ordered his back at a gallop and collided with the Egyptian cavalry on the Roman left flank. They were surrounded and cut down easily. Without warning, General Wah and his 500 chariots charged into the Roman right and both man and horse, unfortunate enough to be in the path of the wheel blades, were separated from their legs. By some miracle, the right flank held its ground. In the melee that followed, Julianus charged straight at General Wah's chariot and, with one quick swing of his sword, cut Wah's head off. General Wah was no more. The Egyptians on the chariots saw the death of their leader and began to retreat in panic. As word of the General's death spread through both the Egyptian and Roman ranks, the Egyptians were filled with fear and fled. The Romans broke ranks and pursued the Egyptians. Julianus and his cavalry cut down the Egyptians as they ran.

By nightfall, the battlefield was littered with bodies. Julianus had the dead counted over the next few days. The Egyptians had lost around 5500 men and the Romans lost around 2000 men. It was a spectacular victory for the House of Scipii. Julianus, however, did not live long enough to enjoy his victory. He died in his sleep a month later, while marching through the Libyan desert back to Lepis Magna. He was 74 years old. Rome mourned the loss of it's great general, Julianus the Brave, conqueror of Sicily and Libya.


End file.
